Traditionally, stamp pads are widely used for rubber stamp affixation. Stamp pads are of various sizes and shapes to accommodate various sizes of rubber stamps. One example is shown below.
FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a traditional stamp pad. As shown in the figure, the traditional stamp pad consists of a pad base 21, an ink pad 22, which is made of such ink-absorbing materials as sponge, felt, etc., soaked with pigment ink or dye ink, and a cap 23 which covers said ink pad 22. The circumference of said pad base 21 has notches made with which the tip of the circumference of said cap 23 engages so that the lid can be opened and closed freely. FIG. 8 is a schematic oblique view of a stamp pad with its lid removed, showing pad base 21 and ink pad 22.
More recently, stamp pads have become colorful and stamp pads with various colors of stamp ink are available in the market.
In using a stamp pad for rubber stamp affixation, rubber stamp 24 is lightly pressed on ink pad 22 of stamp pad, as shown in FIG. 9, to obtain ink on the rubber stamp for affixation thereof on the proper place for stamp affixation on paper, cloth, leather, plastic, etc.
Repeated use of a stamp pad by removing and replacing cap 23 from and back on pad base 21 as described above may cause the soiling with ink of the interior of cap 23 as a result of its contact with ink pad 22.
In addition, repeated rubber stamp affixation as described above will gradually decrease and use up the ink absorbed in stamp pad, necessitating the replenishment of ink.
Traditionally, ink replenishment was accomplished either by purchasing an ink vessel which contains the ink of the same color or purchasing in advance and storing an ink vessel which contains replenishment ink and using such ink in such ink vessel to soak the stamp pad.
The purchasing of ink has caused inconvenience at times, however, because the ink of the same color could not be found or only a small amount of additional ink was needed because of less frequent use of the ink or because ink was needed immediately.
The inconvenience on the part of stamp pad manufacturers included the costliness of stocking and making available many different kinds of replenishment ink and the difficulty in keeping the inventory of less frequently used types of ink for a long period of time, resulting in the out-of-stock status for certain types of ink.
Furthermore, stamp pads were often disposed of once ink ran out, resulting in a wasteful, uneconomical practice, which also contributed to the increase of garbage to be processed.